Tag Archives: dahlynn mckowen

The deadline to submit stories for the anthology “Not Your Mother’s Book . . . on Parenting” is December 3, 2012, so hurry! And if you don’t get your story in on time, don’t worry because we have more than 30 books in the works that need your true stories! Too late for the Parenting book? Try “Moms” or “Family.” The funnier the better! And if they are a little edgy, great! Give us a good laugh. If it’s no racier than PG-13, it’s not too edgy for us. Story length: 500-2500 words. See http://www.PublishingSyndicate.com for story guidelines and a list of books seeking stories. I have two more books in the works: Not Your Mother’s Book on Grandparenting and a new title: Not Your Mothers Book . . . on Working for a Living. I’m waiting for your stories!

Two of our books are already published, and a third will make its debut in December. Already available in bookstores and as eBooks: Not Your Mother’s Book . . . on Being a Woman and the hilarious Not Your Mother’s Book . . . on Being a Stupid Kid. Can you believe I’ve read each one THREE times? Seriously, I have! And I’m still laughing. I can’t wait for Not Your Mother’s Book . . . on Dogs in December, NYMB . . . on Travel in January, and then MY first book in the series, on Parenting in March!

It debuts today! Not Your Mother’s Book . . . on Being a Woman. Book one of nearly 40 anthologies that are in the works. Funny, edgy books published by Dahlynn and Ken McKown who co-authored Chicken Soup for the Soul books for ten years! Read my story “Blind-Sighted” and don’t miss “And Me Without a Crotch,” written by a 92-year-old YOUNG lady in my writers’ group.

I’m the co-creator of two upcoming books: Not Your Mother’s Book . . . on Parenting (due out before Mother’s Day) and Not Your Mother’s Book . . .on Grandparenting. See story guidelines and submit your stories at http://www.publishingsyndicate.com.

And what’s next? Not Your Mother’s Book . . . on Being a Stupid Kid! I just read the manuscript, and it is hilarious. Watch for this book at the end of this month, and be sure to read my story “When You Gotta Go, You Gotta Go” about two teenage girls (yes, one was me) the first time they drank alcohol! Oh, silly us. I hope my grandkids don’t read this one!

I love to write, but what’s even more fun is to write with my daughter and my 12-year-old granddaughter. Writing with your children pays off. My daughter and I wrote together when she was a child. She won an essay contest when she was around the age her daughter is now. I run into her essay from time to time when I clean out the file drawers, and it always brings a smile to my face.

My daughter surprised me last year by writing a book. I didn’t even know she had ever considered writing a book, and suddenly there it was . . . all 300 pages of a young adult fantasy. Wow! I didn’t think I cared much for fantasy, but this one grabbed me and wouldn’t let me go. It wasn’t just that my daughter wrote it. I forgot all about that as I got lost in the story. After I read it, the characters and their lives stayed with me for days. I thought about them and wanted more. I’m helping my daughter edit, and then it’s on to the publisher!

Speaking of publishers, Publishing Syndicate has a really unique publishing offer. They have designed a program to help you get published, and it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, either! We will definitely see what they can do for my daughter after we polish her book. This company is worth checking out: http://www.publishingsyndicate.com.

My granddaughter and I have written stories together for several years. When I edit our creations, she watches and sees how I think about a writing project . . . how I move things around, delete unneeded words and even whole sentences, and look up a word when I’m unsure of the spelling. We talk about the changes I make. She’s becoming a good writer, and is developing the skills that she needs to become a great writer.

This summer, my granddaughter will try writing for publication. Publishing Syndicate (www.publishingsyndicate.com) has three new anthologies: One for kids, one for pre-teens, and one for teens. It’s called OMG. My Reality. This will be a test of the skills she has learned, because she will be on her own; parents and grandparents cant help. Whether or not her stories are published, writing with the hope of publication will strengthen her skills even more. And if she is published, it will look great on scholarship and college applications, along with her other activities and her good grades.

I’m so excited! This has been a good week. If you read my “about me” page, you saw that my story Blind Sighted was slated for inclusion in a Chicken Soup book that had to be canceled. Blind Sighted was the first story I submitted, so I was proud that it had been chosen and disappointed to learn that the book wouldn’t be completed. Dahlynn McKowen of Publishing Syndicate, and co-author of that book, assured me that she would try to place my story in another title. Two days ago, I received the email I’d been hoping for, the permission form to use my story Blind Sighted in the upcoming title Chicken Soup for the Soul: Stories to Soothe the Spirit.Another piece of good news this week as that I walked out of the realty office with three, not two, signed leases (see “Please Re-Lease Me” posted October 13, 2007). Join me in having a great day.